Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, particularly in developed areas such as the United States and Western European countries. The incidence of mortality from cardiovascular disease has significantly decreased in the United States over the past 30 years (see Braunwald, E., N. Engl. J. Med. 337:1360-1369, 1997; Hoyert, D. L., et al., “Deaths: Preliminary Data for 2003” in National Vital Statistics Reports. Hyattsville: National Center for Health Statistics, 2005). Many factors have contributed to this improvement in patient outcome, including the identification of cardiovascular risk factors, the application of medical technologies to treat acute coronary syndrome, and the development of interventions that reduce cardiovascular risk factors. Despite these advances, however, cardiovascular disease remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in developed countries (see Hoyert D. L., et al., National Vital Statistics Reports, 2005).
Thus, there is a pressing need to identify markers that may be used for the rapid, accurate and non-invasive diagnosis and/or assessment of the risk of cardiovascular disease, and also to assess the efficacy of interventions designed to slow the initiation and progress of this disorder.